Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. Given the lack of new comics, expect this weekly update to begin featuring comics that we think you’ll enjoy while you can’t get anything new to read – only new to you.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

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Logan

Excalibur #17 (Marvel)– We get to see Otherworld go wonky, get a glimpse of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (Braddock) III of England, and even more fun, Pete Wisdom returns in Excalibur #17 by Tini Howard, Marcus To, and Erick Arciniega. Arciniega’s color palette is a special treat in this issue as he differentiates between alternate universe England that has a mutant queen and PM and the main universe’s England where the Clan of Akkaba wants to discriminate against mutants and especially not have one taking up the mantle of Captain Britain. The main plot concerns Betsy’s return to the main universe, and while the destination is predictable, the journey is quite fun. We get some great conversations between her and Angel and especially her and Kwannon about changing bodies, their relationship, and the role she’s played both as a mutant and prominent British figure over the year. Unfortunately, this skill doesn’t extend to action sequences which are muddy and not well-blocked with To and Arciniega covering everything in explosions and energy, even in a one on one bout between Kwannon and Betsy. However, the humor that characters like Pete Wisdom and Gambit bring to the issue as well as getting a glimpse of what happened to Betsy Braddock after she was shattered into pieces in “X of Swords” make this book worth reading even if it’s not the cream of the X-Book crop. Overall: 7.6 Verdict: Read

Future State: Dark Detective #2 (DC)– Mariko Tamaki, Dan Mora, and Jordie Bellaire’s main “Dark Detective” story shows how Bruce Wayne “died” and his current living situation as he fights a one man war on crime from the basement of a conspiracy theorist. Mora and Bellaire depict a stripped down, anti-corporate Batman, who still is cool, featuring lightning detective work, rooftop chases, and a neon palette that captures the futuristic tone of the story. However, the best moment of the story comes when Bruce Wayne is about to embrace his death at the hands of Peacemaker-01 before getting lucky at just the right minute. Mora cuts up the page to show that he’s lost a step, and that his mind is still sharp while his body is a little behind and can’t keep up with all the surveillance tech. Bruce (Or Roommate Jeff in this issue’s funniest gag) really needs a Terry McGinnis, but for now, he’ll settle for anti-tap water, yet pro-TV activist Noah and his daughter.With cool Akira-style motorcycles, a minimalist visual approach from artist Giannis Milonogiannis, and a despondent Jason Todd, “Red Hood” is a breezy, semi-depressing look at those employed by the Magistrate to hunt vigilantes. Joshua Williamson and Milonogiannis capture the pure sadness of Todd hunting down a vigilante who looks like the original “Red Hood” in a soup kitchen until with the help of Ravager, he discovers there’s more to this than meets the eye. Until he begins his unfortunately forced flirty repartee with Ravager, Todd stays pretty quiet, and Milonogiannis’ big, clean shapes and Jordie Bellaire’s flat colors tell the story. There’s definitely a real Copra, but corporate vibe to everything, and Williamson hits the cliffhanger just as Jason Todd starts to get in touch with his ol’ anti-hero roots. I definitely look forward to seeing more of Giannis Milonogiannis’ artwork and motorcycles whether or not that features Jason Todd. Overall: 8.3 Verdict: Buy

New Mutants #15 (Marvel)– Writer Vita Ayala really flexes their skill at balancing a large, ensemble cast of original New Mutants plus the young mutants they’re training along with a few fun guest stars like Daken. Add colorful and impressionistic art from Rod Reis, and a baddie (Shadow King) hiding in plain sight, and the creative team has really found a rhythm in New Mutants #15. Ayala writes both conversations and training/battle senses with purpose and honesty while Reis uses evocative visuals to drive their point home or add context to a continuity-driven scene like Wolfsbane being sad her son can’t be resurrected just yet. Her emotions are conflicts as she wants to party with the rest of the mutants at Bei and Doug Ramsey’s wedding reception, but she also wants to do everything in power to make sure her son experiences Krakoa. With the exception of the always amazing, yet a little awkward Gabby Kinney, I feel like I don’t know the younger mutants as well. However, Ayala writes a really powerful scene where Cosmar, who has nightmare abilities and is physically transformed by her powers, berates Dani for not understanding her when she wants to fight in the Crucible and be “changed back”. It’s a reminder that mutants see their abilities as curses, not gifts, and this is what makes these young characters vulnerable to Shadow King. If you like a big cast of characters, memorable conversations, and distinct visuals, Vita Ayala and Rod Reis’ New Mutants is worth taking a look at. Overall: 8.2 Verdict: Buy

Wolverine #9 (Marvel)– Wolverine #9 has a lot of heart and some strong, refined storytelling from Benjamin Percy and Adam Kubert as Logan goes to an underground auction in Madripoor where his old Team X ally, Maverick, is up for sale. (Also, Wolverine’s severed hand and the tombstone from Kraven’s Last Hunt; there are Easter Eggs galore.) Even if you haven’t read those 90s comics, Percy and Kubert show their connection in wind-swept flashbacks as Logan and Maverick tried to keep their connection to humanity while Sabretooth indulged his bloodlust. Kubert slices and dices the page to show the gaps in Logan’s memory when he was only a killer, which makes The Merchant’s (Madripoor auction guru and source of dark comic relief) brain washing of Maverick hurt that much worse. Wolverine #9 has connections to an older era of comics, but Percy’s poetic writing, Kubert’s strong art, and an added layer of psychological depth make me feel for Maverick, a character I know from one issue of X-Force and an even more. Overall: 9.0 Verdict: Buy

Department of Truth #5 (Image)– James Tynion and Martin Simmonds’ “all the conspiracy theories are true” (Or are they) thriller continues to be a bit of a mind-bender in Department of Truth #5. Our protagonist, Cole, takes a break from reptilian hallucinations, videos of mass slaughters, and star-shaped men to rest at his apartment while his husband goes out to drink with colleagues. (Cole has killed some of these other colleagues.) He runs into Black Hat, who is supposedly the series’ antagonist and weaves a story about how he’s not actually the bad guy, and it’s rooted in how the Department of Truth really isn’t keeping conspiracy theories just theories, but creating a favorable narrative about the United States. One thing that I love about this series (Except when you get to the QAnon stuff, which gets harshly rebuked for good reason.) is that after each issue, I come out in a haze and don’t know who to believe. Also, I enjoy how Tynion and Simmonds root the conspiracy in paranoia, imperialism, and control not racism or anti-semitism. Speaking of Simmonds, his Ralph Steadman/Bill Sienkiewicz style art continues to be a treat with its shifting backgrounds, caricatures of American exceptionalism, and at times, pure horror as he crafts imagery that connects to the next mystery/rabbit hole. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Future State: Aquaman #1 (DC Comics) – An intriguing comic that’s a lot of setup. There’s a new Aquaman who’s role is to not just defend the oceans but also teach Aqualass as well. Things go sideways when they’re pulled into the Confluence resulting in a world hopping adventure. There’s something that’d be great to this but there’s not enough time spent in each world, so it’s a lot of short hits and not enough depth. By the end, things really get going but the lead up feels a bit choppy for the most part. But, with the interesting concept and art, it’s enjoyable and I want to see what comes next. The comic would do better as a series to give it time to grow instead of a compact miniseries. But, it’s good in concept and has so much potential. Overall Rating: 7.95 Recomendation: Read

Future State: Batman/Superman #1 (DC Comics) – One of the best things to come out of DC’s Future State is the Magistrate and the new Gotham. It’s a great new take on Batman and when this is all over, to get more in this world would be great. This series brings Superman into the fold of that world in an intriguing story involving a drug that masks one’s look, perfect to protest against the Magistrate. From there, things get really interesting. It’d be great to get a better idea as to when this happens compared to other series but overall, it’s a great piece of the puzzle. The art too is solid with fantastic colors that both embrace the neon/dark look of Gotham but things still pop. Future State has had amazing worldbuilding and this is a great example. Overall Rating: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Future State: Dark Detective #2 (DC Comics) – Bruce and Batman are dead… or at least that’s what everyone thinks. So, how is Bruce and Batman alive? This issue dives into how that happened in another fantastic issue of the series. Beyond the intriguing story and great details, the art pops delivering a neo-Gotham that looks like something out of anime. We also get another story featuring Red Hood who has taken up the job of bounty hunter bringing in masks which our outlawed in Gotham. Yes, it’s a betrayal to his friends but it adds another interesting layer to this new take on Gotham. Top notch stuff I want to see more of when Future State wraps up. Overall Rating: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (DC Comics) – I’ve tried to get into Legion of Super-Heroes multiple times and it’s a comic that’s never clicked for me. The same thing is here with character I could care less about and a situation that has little interest to me since I don’t know the source material. Riley Rossmo continues to rock his unique art style which is fun to see in this futuristic setting. But basically, if you’re into the comic before, you might dig this. If not, this isn’t one that’ll suck you in. Overall Rating: 6.0 Recommendation: Pass

Future State: Suicide Squad #1 (DC Comics) – That’s a hell of a debut. With two stories, the comic is full of twists and will leave you wanting more for each. The first follows the Justice Squad, a new team made up of some questionable members as they attempt to bring peace to their world. Sound familiar? Yeah, I’m not going to ruin it but the ending is fantastic. The second story follows Black Adam as evil returns to create destruction. There’s a lot here that’s unexpected as well. Again, not going to spoil it. Just two top-notch stories with solid art. Each features things I didn’t see coming. I want more! Overall Rating: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1 (DC Comics) – What if Trump ruled a planet and his bullshit started to sputter? That’s what you get in this series which takes some solid digs at his schtick and the complete chaos it’s caused. There’s a lot to chew on here and it’ll be fun to see where it all goes from this debut. Overall Rating: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

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Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).